I called 1st thing this am to ask my vet if they had any openings, but called back shortly to say they'd had a cancellation. We have an appt. at 11 am, so in roughly 1 hr. So within a few hrs I'll have an update.The rds are much better today so shouldn't be so trecherous.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Vet decided to aspirate it, which he didn't tell me but I've learned has some risk for infection. Removed probably 20 mls of bloody fluid. Then he was still shaking his head. We decided to look in his ear and voila, speargrass! Vet was able to use a tool to pluck it out. No ear infections

He is taking an increased dose of Prednisone for a few days, and even though I wasn't told I'll be monitoring him for any potential infection.

Ask me how my dog got speargrass in his ear in the middle of winter. Or, how he wasn't even really bothering at it at all! We always take the cake for this kind of thing.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I never knew people were so unaware about the grass! But I guess before I worked the ER Vet I didn't really know, either. For further info : http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm ... 1&aid=2964He's actually had it in his foot before, when he was much younger, as well.

he doesn't have to have his head wrapped now Though I am considering it anyway because he is still shaking....

I have him on Benedryl so he sleeps instead of shakes his head. Poor sleepy boy with the sore ear. Ah well, no more cone or bandage! Free to chow down on snow.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
_______________________________________
"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

well, it actually WON't come back if it's stitched. But it also requires putting your dog under anesthetic and a fair bit of money.

I don't know what . Called our Vet but it was late and reception couldn't get ahold of him (he's out of the office on fridays). She was going to leave the chart for another dr. locuming for him on monday, but I'm not particularly excited him seeing someone else...I guess I'll have to see what the locum says... Which means the whole weeked

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Wishing him (and you) the best. It is terribly frustrating. A fair amount of the cost for Trouble's was the drugs. I had her Rimadyl refilled and got otomax for her ears, so that was a third of our cost. I think the surgery was in the $200 range.

yes I think speargrass = foxtailsI don't have to wait, but it isn't really an emergency, and the ER hospital has many more charges for nursing and care involved, and I also have a relationship with my vet... But then again *thinking*, it is a locum...I remembered pet insurance and called and it should cover, but theres still the stupid deductible. rrrg.

No steroid injection, I doubt we could have held him still for it I could tell it hurt like an SOB to have it poked. He doesn't usually balk from being poked it that way. If/when we talk to the vet's office I'm going to ask if I can put Emla on it if the vet wants to poke it again. He is a VERY agreeable patient but I'm not sure how much more of this he'll put up with before out and out flailing - panic ensues and I'd like to keep the Vet the happy place it has always been for him, not to mention the ouchy part

Unfortunately I doubt we'll have nearly that reasonable of a price - a Vet acquaintance of mine that works at the animal ER/Hospital I used to work at figured $800, maybe cheaper elsewhere but not the same quality of care either(and not THAT much cheaper). It IS frustrating, it part because it seems kind of "optional", its highly uncomfortable and will make a yucky ear but it isn't life threatening, and yet, I really want to get rid of it and it bothers me.

rrrg.

On the plus side, he seems to have stopped head shaking what little extra he was before, and its just at the normal times now, so maybe if we retried the aspiration it would actually work....

I should mention again that the size it is now is quite minor, maybe 1/3 of the Pinna, as apposed to some dogs who have a balloon for an ear, though the thought has crossed my mind that it my get that big eventually.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07